Draft gear



Aug. 8, 1933. D, L 1,921,045

Q DRAFT GEAR Filed Sept. 28, 1925 s Sheets-She et 1 fionaifdjvroul Patented Aug. 8, 1933 warren sTA'r is DRAFT GEAR Donald F. Sproul, Chicago, IlL, assignor to Universal Draft Gear Attachment (30., a Corporation of Illinois Application September 28,1925 Serial No. 58,971

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This invention relates to draft gear for railway cars of the friction type, its object being to secure a high degree of efficiency with certainty of release, cheapness of construction and simplicity in assembling.

A desirable and preferred form of construction is hereinafter described, and is illustrated i" the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan section of the gear as applied to a car;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly broken away, the gear being shown under compression;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical central section;

and

Figs. 6 and 7 are details in perspective of a casing and wedge shoe, elements of the gear.

For the purpose of showing the relation of the gear to the cooperating car parts, there is illustrated a pair of center or draft sills at l0, 10, each provided with draft lugs 11, 11, and curing lugs 12, 12. The butt of a draw-bar is shown at 13, and a yoke or draw-bar extension, in conventional form, at lei.

A pair of opposed follower means are e by the yoke i l, is usual in such cost .10 on". The follower means coznp what for convenience of description will be termed the follower members 15 and 16 and the casings 1'"! and 18 respectively. casing is tubular, having top, bottom and side walls. These while shown and preferably being made from the follower members 15, 16, are, nevertheless, so intimately associated with them in service that if desired they may be cast integral therei The two casings are spaced apart normally a distance equal to the maximum compressive movement of the gear, and consequently serve as limiting stops.

Regarding the adjacent ends of the two casings as their inner ends, each is provided adjacent its outer end with vertical forwardly flaring wedge surfaces 19, 20. Cooperating with these wedging surfaces are a pair of wedge shoes 21, 22, and 23, 2 having friction faces, as parallel with the axis of the gear.

Interposed between the wedging shoes on opposits sides of the gear are a group of intercalating friction plates. One set of the friction plates, as 26, is carried by the casing 17, the other as 2'7, being carried by the casing 18. The friction plates are alike in form, their outline being shown plainly in 2. Each is provided with a pair of shoulders 28, 29, cooperating with a pair of instanding outwardly facing shoulders 30, 31, which are formed on the top and bottom walls of the casing and spaced apart from the outer end thereof, and consequently from the inner face (Cl. 2l336) of the follower means cooperating therewith, a distance slightly in excess of the spacing of the shoulders 23, from the adjacent end of the plate.

The extreme length of the friction plates is such that their inner ends extend into the opposite follower means and they are normally spaced a sufficient distance from the follower member associated therewith to permit the complete compression of the gear without making contact with it. As many plates may be employed as may be deemed advisable. Preferably one of the plates of each set is in en agement with a pair of wedging shoes.

Interposed between each pair of wedging shoes, as 21, 23, at each side ofthe gear is a spring 32, 33, for normally holding the shoes in engagement with the friction surfaces of the casings, and consequently placing the friction plates under some degree of compression. interposed between the outer end walls, as 3 t, of the opposed casings are two sets of heavy springs, as 36, 3'7, these springs being located the side and up per and lower walls the casing, the wedging faces, as 19, and the wedging of the shoes being suitably recessed for their accommodation.

Adjacent the inner ends of each of the casings their side walls are inset, shown at 33, providing a short inner end wall section 39 which may be apertured to receive a bolt 4-) serviceable in the assemblin of the and for holding its parts in assembled relation before ine'allation.

Normal y the various elements of the gear are positioned as shown in 1 and 2, the ends of the friction plates carried by each casing being spaced a short distance from the follower member associated therewith, and their shoulders, as 29, being in-cngageincnt with the shoulders, as 31, of the casing. 011 compression of the gear the follower ileinber to which the force is appliei is advanced, carrying with it the associated casing and compressing the several wedge shoes upon the plates. Ti c continued advance of the follower nlernber brings it into engagement with the end of the acent friction plates, forcing these plates forwardly. The friction plates of the other set are advanced by the rriction developed until they make contact with the stationary follower member. Inasmuch there is no advance of the friction plates on the in itial movement of the advancing follower ineinher, the shoulders, as 31, of the moving casing are carried away from the shoulders of the friction plates.

In release the advanced follower is moved backwardly by the springs 36, 37, instantly relieving the wedging action and consequently relieving the compression of the friction plates. The continued recession of the advanced followor brings the casing shoulders, as 30, into engagement with the shoulders of the associated plates, as 27, and carries these plates back to normal position, the other set of friction plates being carried away from the follower member with which they are associated by the frictional action between the plates.

The springs 32, 33, which cooperate with the wedge shoes are much lighter than the springs, as 36, 37, which react between the two casings. As a result of this proportioning of the two sets of springs, whi h is made possible by the described arrangement of the various parts of the gear, a quick and certain release is insured.

The described form and arrangement of the parts furthermore eliminates any disturbance of the action of the gear due to wear. Should the contacting wedging faces wear away, or the plateengaging faces of the shoes become worn, the shoes will be advanced by their springs and the same relation of the several wedges will thereby be maintained.

For the purposes of this specification the follower member and its associated casing are treated as a unit and are designated follower means.

I claim as my invention 1. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed follower means, each having internal flaring wedge faces, a pair of wedge shoes cooperating with the named wedge faces of the follower means, springs reacting directly betwee the two follower means, other springs reacting between a d directly engaging alined wedge shoes, a group OI two sets of intercalatin friction plates 0 cupying the central portion of the gear and bearing on the wedge shoes, one set of said plates being anchored to one follower means and the other to the other follower means, each set of plates projecting into the casing of the follower means opposite to the one to which they are attached, and movable during the initial compression of the gear relative to the follower means to which they are respe tively anchored.

2. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed follower means, each having internal flaring wedge faces, a pair of wedge shoes co-- operating with the named wedge faces of said means, sprin s reacting directly between the two follower other springs reacting between and directly engaging alined wedge shoes, a group of two sets of intercalating friction plates occupying the central portion of the gear and bearing on the wedge shoes, one set of said plates being anchored to one of said follower means and the other set to the other follower means, each set of plates extending into the casing of both followers, the springs cooperating with the followers being of substantially greater strength than the springs cooperating with the wedge shoes, said plates being movable longitudinally of the gear relative to the means to which th y are anchored.

3. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed follower means comprising a casing, each having internal flaring wedge faces, a pair of wedge shoes cooperating with the named wedge faces of the casing, springs reacting directly between the two follower means, other springs reacting between and directly engaging alined wedge shoes, a group of two sets of intercalating friction plates occupying the central portion of the gear and bearing on the wedge shoes, one set of the plates being loosely anchored to one follower means and the other set to the other follower means to permit sli ht longitudinal relative movement and projecting into the casing of the other follower.

4. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of follower means comprising a pair of opposed chambered casings each having internal flaring wedge faces and backwardly facing shoulders on the inner faces of their side walls, a pair of wedge shoes cooperating with the named wedge faces of the casing, springs reacting directly between the two casings, other springs reacting between and directly engaging alined wedge shoes, a group of intercalating friction plates occupying the central portion of the gear and bearing on the wedge shoes, one set of the plates having forwardly facing shoulders engageable with the named shoulders of its corresponding casing and movable longitudinally of said gear relative to said casing and extending into the opposite casing.

5. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed follower means each having internal flaring wedge faces and backwardly facing shoulders on the inner faces of their side walls, a pair of wedge shoes cooperating with the named wedge faces of said means, springs reacting directly between the two follower means, other springs recting between and directly engaging alined wedge shoes, a group of two sets of intercalating friction plates occupying the central portion of the gear and bearing on the wedge shoes, the plates of each set having forwardly facing shoulders engageable with the named shoulders of its cor .onding follower means and extending into the other follower means, the distance between the shoulders of the plates and their butt ends being less than the distance between the shouland end walls of the follower means.

6. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed follower means compri ing casings each having forwardly facing wedges associated therewith, a group of two sets of intercalating friction plates, each set of the plates being longitudinally interlocked with its corresponding casing, wedge shoes interposed between the wedges of the casings and plates and having no positive connec tion with either for forcing said plates toward the axis of said gear during the compression of the same, spring means reacting directly between the followers, and spring means reacting directly between and engaging the shoes at opposite ends of the gear, the first named spring means being more powerful than the second named spring means.

7. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a pair of follower means, a group of longitudinally disposed, relatively movable friction plates within said follower means, wedge pressure transmitting systems at opposite ends of the mechanism, each including friction shoes on the opposite sides of said group of plates, the inner ends of said follower means being adapted to engage to limit the compression of said mechanism, means exterior to the group of plates within said follower means for yieldingly resisti 1 relative movement of said shoes, and means engaging the adjacent ends of said follower means for limiting their outward movement, the inner ends of said follower means being provided with outwardly extending flanges and means engaging flanges for limiting the separation of said follower means.

DONALD F. SPROUL. 

